The build-up of limescale hard water deposits in a tankless unit's heat exchanger can severely impact performance, and eventually break it.
Some units may filter incoming water and will require regular filter cleaning. Make sure to read the maintenance section of your owner's manual: each heater is different, and what's necessary to keep it in top shape is not always obvious. Models that don't have such fancy features should be inspected by a professional within a year of installation or sooner, if you've noticed a decrease in performance. They'll be able to tell you how much scale has built up, and what your maintenance schedule should be.
The actual descaling procedure is usually outlined in the water heater documentation, and may vary between models. Depending on the severity of the buildup, the process can take from 45 minutes to over an hour.
A pump, some valves, fittings and a bucket are the typical tools required - all of which can be found in this convenient scale removal kit from Zoeller. Going tankless is a big decision - one that should only be made after you know exactly what you need from the water heater and exactly what upgrades to your home would be necessary. The sticker price of a given unit is only half the story. But if you can swing the cost, a tankless water heater will provide you with endless hot water for a good many years years longer than a tank heater, on average.
Sounds like a solid investment to us! Yes, but there are specific requirements that will need to be addressed. Gas units will require a larger, special vent pipe and a larger gas supply line that not only will supply the water heater, but all other appliances on that gas pipe run.
Electric units will require larger gauge wire and breakers than most tank type water heaters. Without seeing all of your plumbing piping, etc.
Water siphoning out of any brand of tankless water heater might damage the heater when there is no water or not enough water in the lines. Yes, on most brands best to check first though with the manufacturer.
Simply drain both lines 'to' and 'from' the unit. As long as there are no check valves in the way, that should drain the water from the unit. To guarantee that there is no water in the unit, we recommend two drain valves - one before and one after the unit - as well as blowing air through the water line.
Most homes do not have the appropriate electrical configuration for safety and best performance, needing breakers or volt wiring installed, and unless you have a gas-powered tank water heater that you are replacing, you'll also need gas lines run and potentially a gas meter upgrade.
Add to that the venting needs of gas models and the actual plumbing for the unit, and you can see why this is a job for a licensed professional! Because of this, the person purchasing a tankless water heater is responsible for checking with their local code authorities prior to ordering.
Note that certain types of heaters, like de-ionized and 3-phase heaters, are manufactured to order and not returnable, so you need to make sure prior to purchasing that they are suitable for use and allowed by code in your location.
This is a highly personal question as everyone's opinion is different. Combine that with the differences in incoming water temperatures and you have a different answer for each installation. However, a lot of studies have been done on what people on average find comfortable, so we can give you some very general numbers to help you narrow the possibilities. Traditional tank water heaters have a first hour rating which is determined by the amount of hot water the heater can produce in an hour when starting with a full tank of hot water.
As tankless water heaters do not start with a tank of hot water, they don't really have a first hour rating the same way a tank water heater does.
Instead, tankless water heaters have a gallons per hour rating, which is determined by how many gallons per hour the tankless water heater can produce when raising the incoming water temperature a specified amount.
The pump, which can be turned on by a timer, a push button, a motion sensor, a smart speaker, or a smartphone above , pushes the cold water in the pipes back through the heater. After about a minute, the pump shuts off and you get hot water seconds after opening the tap.
Tankless units with digital connectivity let you adjust the temperature and monitor gas and hot-water usage on your phone. More important, the unit can identify the source of a problem. Relay that information to your plumber and he or she can show up knowing exactly what needs to be done. It takes a big burst of BTUs for a tankless heater to turn cold water into hot water in just a few seconds. To find the actual gpm of a fixture, time how many seconds it takes to fill a bucket to a 1-quart mark.
Dividing 15 by that number of seconds equals gpm. Homes without a gas line or propane tank can also enjoy the advantages of on-demand hot water by installing tankless units powered by electricity. These units, which heat water with thick copper rods, are quieter and about a third smaller than gas or propane tankless heaters. One drawback to electric units is its limited output, which tops out at 36 kilowatts, or about , Btus.
Whichever type you choose, it will need sufficient amperage at the main panel and heavy-gauge wires. Also, electric heaters last only about half as long as gas units: Typical warranties are three to five years. Once the heating elements fry, it usually costs about as much to replace the entire heater as it does to swap in new elements. For the burner in a tankless heater to perform properly, it has to be hooked up to a gas-supply line that delivers enough volume at sufficient pressure.
And if the pressure falls short, the gas company will have to adjust the regulator on the meter. Noncondensing tankless gas heaters use stainless-steel vents that can withstand high exhaust heat. Condensing units have a cooler exhaust, and use less expensive PVC pipes. A concentric vent, which has an exhaust pipe inside a larger air-intake pipe, simplifies installation because only one hole needs to be cut in the wall. FYI: Typically, vent runs have been limited to just 10 feet.
Scale deposits that form in a heat exchanger or on electric heating elements slow down heat transfer and constrict water flow. Consider the advantages of hanging a heater outdoors, if your climate and local codes permit. Looking for help with repairs around your home? A home warranty may help. Fuel-powered water heaters are either powered by natural gas, propane, or oil.
Natural gas water heaters are by far the most popular. However, oil-based water heaters are also used in certain geographical areas. These setups only provide hot water when it is needed. In a tankless water heater setup, cold water flows through a heating element in the unit typically a coil pipe. Whenever a hot water source is turned on, the cold water flows through the heating element, and it heated instantaneously by either gas or electricity.
When the hot water tap is turned off, the cold water ceases to flow through the heating element, and the hot water stops flowing. Because of the functional differences between tank-type and tankless water heaters, there are pros and cons of using each type of water heater. From a usage perspective, tankless water heaters can be more reliable when it comes to delivering a steady hot water temperature because the supply of water that flows through the heating element is constant.
On the other hand, tank-type water heaters typically have higher flow rates than tank-type water heaters. This is because the heating element in a tankless water heater system limits the flow to the tap. In a tank-type water heater system, water freely flows from the tank to the tap without needing to flow through a heater, resulting in better flow rates.
Adding parallel or separate tankless water heaters can help increase flow efficiency. However, this can also add to your upfront costs as well. From a cost and energy savings perspective, homeowners who use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily will typically benefit the most from tankless water heaters.
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